Pittsburgh City Council Post Agenda - 9/21/26

The Pittsburgh City Council held a virtual post-agenda discussion on September 21, 2026, focusing on surveillance technologies, privacy concerns, and the implications of artificial intelligence in public procurements. The meeting featured expert panelists including Professor Lori Craner from Carnegie Mellon University and Clarence Oko, National Director of Civil Rights and Technology at Tectonic Justice, who provided detailed insights into the types of surveillance technologies used by city governments, such as automatic license plate readers (ALPRs), facial recognition, drones, and data aggregation by private companies. Discussions highlighted the challenges local governments face in evaluating and regulating these technologies, the risks of mass surveillance, and the need for transparency and comprehensive policies like surveillance impact reports and AI bills of rights. Council members discussed the importance of audits, moratoria on high-risk AI systems, and the difficulties posed by private companies' use of surveillance data. While no specific procurement contracts or budget allocations were detailed, the meeting emphasized policy development and oversight mechanisms to guide future procurement and use of surveillance technologies in Pittsburgh.